The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 20, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 01, 1992
Michael Romanenko, South Elgin, IL (US);
Gerald D Ross, Streamwood, IL (US);
ElectroCom Gard, Ltd., Niles, IL (US);
Abstract
An automatic device for sweeping letter mail or alternatively, stacking and sweeping letter mail, and depositing the resultant stack into a managed mail tray. The sweeping device provides an accumulation platform which receives a stream of mail, the platform having a slidable end plate urged against the accumulating stack of mail which overcomes the urging of the end plate to fill the accumulation platform. A sweep plate is thereafter actuated to pierce the stack and thereafter translate towards the end plate to compress the now captured stack to a specified length. The specified length correspond to trap doors provided in the accumulation platform which thereafter open to vertically drop the stack into a managed mail tray arranged therebelow. A forward plate is provided to pierce the stack with the sweep plate to hold back further accumulated mail while the specified stack is being compressed and deposited. In another embodiment a non-sliding blade is translated upwardly to pierce the accumulating stack at a position corresponding to the length of the trap door. Additionally, a sweeping and stacking device is provided which receives shingled mail pieces onto a conveyor belt which is engaged with an overhead pinch belt which partially wraps around a roller of the conveyor belt. The shingled mail is horizontally carried on the conveyor belt and turned vertically by the pinch belt to a position below the conveyor belt into an accumulation platform. An end plate is slidably held in the accumulation platform to insure a horizontal stack accumulation of the thus turned mail. The accumulation platform has trap doors which deposit a specified length of accumulated mail into a managed mail tray arranged therebelow.